They Didn’t Play “Please and Thank You.”
I was scrolling through Facebook, as I am apt to do these days, unless I’m walking the dog, shopping online, eating or sleeping.
Literally by accident, I stumbled upon a video that took my breath away. I was transported back to 2006 – a time when my children were so young, I couldn’t even imagine they’d ever be teenagers.
It was a band video, with four musicians in four little boxes, patched together for the sake of a complete song. The video starred four guys I’ve loved for more than a decade: Rich, Dave, Scott and Smitty – right there on my screen – singing a song about a unicorn.
Maybe you don’t know them like I do. So let me back up a bit.
When Dylan was in kindergarten, I found a DVD in the library that looked cool: four guys singing children’s songs – but they were not the Wiggles. I thought the DVD would provide some positive role models for Dylan and Shane.
Sure enough: the kids loved the music. We watched that DVD a few dozen times, returned it to the library, then got it out again. Eventually, we bought it for ourselves.
About a month later, an internet search revealed that those four guys were going to be performing at a tiny venue near our home. I grabbed four tickets, and we went to see them.
The concert was on Mother’s Day. It was a fun-filled romp of great songs: “My Favorite Snack,” “First Day of School,” and “I Want My Mommy.” We knew all the words, and sang along from the second row.
But they didn’t play “Please and Thank You.”
Shane was two, and that was his favorite song. The stage went dark. And Shane looked up at me with those huge, toddler eyes and said, “But dey did nawt pway ‘Pwease and Tank You!'”
In the lobby, the band was signing autographs. We were thrilled! Dylan got his hat signed by all four of them, and Shane got four high-fives.
I casually said to Rich as he signed and high-fived, “You didn’t play ‘Please and Thank You!’ It’s Shane’s favorite.”
Rich didn’t even flinch. He said, “We can play that for you. Can you wait until we’re done with autographs?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “You don’t have to do that,” I said.
“It’s not a problem,” Rich said. “Dave, can we play ‘Please and Thank You’ for these guys?”
“Sure!” Dave replied enthusiastically.
Twenty minutes later, the band was back on stage for an audience of two: Dylan and Shane. My boys stood on the stage, awestruck and beaming. Dave knelt down and held Shane’s hand, singing right to him. Rich, Smitty and Scott smiled for five straight minutes as they played.
And I fell in love with all four of them.
Within a year, the Imagination Movers were signed by Disney and became world famous. The original DVD – which I still have – isn’t even available anymore. They had a TV show for years, and they’re still touring.
Now, 14 years later, we’re all in isolation – and I found this video, this little slice of heaven that they’ve pulled together from their individual homes, so that the children would have some joy.
It brought me some joy, too.
In fact, watching them sing in isolation made me cry for the first time since this pandemic became a reality. It took this one glorious, uplifting, happy video to make me realize: we’re not all going to make it through this thing alive.
And the world isn’t going to be as wonderful when this is finally over.